Coupling.



' T. ANDREWS.

COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED 13.18, 1907.

Patented Oct. 13,1908.

r" mvmron er I M J ab/ UNrrED sT 'rEs PATENT OFFICE. THOMAS ANDREWS, or ROOKAWAY, NEW JEasEY, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS ANDREWS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ROOKAWAY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

coUPmNe.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed April 18, 1907. Serial No. 368,869.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockaway, in the county of Morris and'State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements 1n Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. V I

This invention relates to couplings.

The objects of the invention are to im rove and simplify the construction of sue devices; furthermore, to increase their efficiency in operation, and to decrease the expense attending their manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and. arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth,

it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made Within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation'illustrating one form of coupling constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in se'otion,illustrating a modified construction. Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating another modified construction.

,Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the diflerent figures of the drawing.

The reference numeral 1 indicates a body portion which if desired may be interiorly threaded as indicated at 2, to adapt it to be coupled up in any suitable manner. The body portion 1 is formed with a tubular core 3, which is adapted to project into the end of afiexible pipe or hose 4. The core 3 preferably is exteriorly threaded or corrugated so that it will fit tightly into the end of the pipe 4.

The means for clamping the pipe 4 tightly around the core 3 so as to revent accidental disconnection of the coup ing from the pipe preferably includes a plurality of clamping members or arms 5, each of which is pivotally mounted as indicated at 6, between a pair of ears or lugs 7, formed integral with the body portion 1. Each of the clamping members or arms 5 is provided with an enlarged or thickened end 8, which serves to strengthen the pivotal point'of the arm, and each of said arms is also tapered or gradually decreased in thickness from its pivoted end to its free end as indicated clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The enlarged or thickened portion 8 of each arm is formed at the end thereof furthest removed from the pivot 65,

with a shoulder as shown clearly in Fig. 2,

which extends inwardly at an angle to the arm 5 and is adapted to act as a stop for limit ing the inward movement of the hose or pipe 4 toward the pivot 6 of the arm; that is to say, when the hose 4 is screwed downward on the core '3 sufficiently far, for a greater distance than is shown in Fig. 2, it will engage the shoulder of the thickened portion 8. This thickened portion 8 also permits the different pivot points 6 to be arranged radially nearer to the center of thecoupling device than they could be arranged if the thickened portion were dispensed with, and the 5 will conform to the shape of the exterior of I the pipe 4.

For the purpose of compressing or clamping the members 5 firmly against the exterior of the pipe 4, a compressing member 9 is employed. This compressing member 9 preferably is in the form of a metallic ring having a slightly tapered and threaded interior adapted to engage the threads 10 formed upon the exterior of the different clamping members 5. The ring or compressing member 9 preferably is rovided on the exterior thereof with suitab e lugs or projections 11, which are adapted to be engaged by a wrench or other implement for rotating said compressing member, said clamping members 5 have formed on their interior sides shoulders 12 forming at that point a stop for pipeend connections 4.

It will be observed from the drawing that the clamping members 5 are adapted to be swung radially inward or outward with respect to the core 3 and pipe 4, and by reason of the fact that said clamping members 5 are gradually thickened toward their pivotal point 6, it will be apparent that the nearer the compressing member 9 is screwed or moved toward the pivot point 6 of the clamp ing members 5, the tighter said clamping members will be pressed at their free ends against the pipe 4. This pressure of the clam ing members 5 serves to prevent any acci ental disengagement of the pipe 4 from the core 3.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the core 3 is tapered and the body portion 1 is formed with a plurality of flattened faces as shown, so as to adapt it to be engaged by a wrench or similar instrument for rotating the coupling. The tapering core 3 illustrated in Fig. 3 is adapted to fit pipes of di'l'lerent interior diameter, and the clamping members 5, by adjusting the same inward or outward, are adapted to be used with pipes of different external diameter. The modification illustrated in Fig. 4 is practically the same as the constructions illustrated in the other figures, except that two cores are employed and two sets of clamping members and compressing rings are used, one at each end of the coupling, so as to adapt the device to be used for splicing together two sections of a pipe.

The improved coupling is strong, simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction, as well as thoroughly eflicient in use.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling member comprising a tapering nipple provided with a spirally serrated reception-surface, a plurality of clamping members pivotally connected with said nipple, said clamping members being also tapered and pivoted at their supporting ends,

and being provided on their interior sides with shoulders near their pivotal ends and with clamp-engaging means on their outer sides, and a clamping ring for engaging the clamping means on said outer sides of said clamping members.

2. A coupling member comprising a corbeing provided on the inside with shoulders near their thicker ends and with clamp engaging means on their outer sides, and a clamping ring for engaging the clamping means on the outer sides of the said clamping members.

3. A coupling member comprising a body having formed thereon tapering nipples provided with spirally serrated reee tion-surfaces, a plurality of clamping members pivotally connected with said nipples, said clamping members being also tapered and pivoted at the supporting ends thereol, and being provided 011 their interior sides with shoulders near their pivotal ends and with clamp-engaging means on their outer sides, and clamping rings for engaging said clamping means on the outer sides of said clamping members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOiNlAS ANDREWS.

Witnesses G. S. GUs'rrN, J. FRANK GUSTIN. 

